Carlsson, agent on board with Ducks' plan to have rookie sit out games

BOSTON -- Leo Carlsson is settling into life in the NHL in all the usual ways. He has rented an apartment, finally, a way out of the hotel he's been staying in. He has started to get to know his Anaheim Ducks teammates, some of whom aren't that much older than the 18-year-old rookie.

But in other ways, Carlsson's introduction to the NHL has been anything but typical.

When the Ducks played the Boston Bruins at TD Garden on Thursday, the center was in the lineup for the third time this season, playing in less than half of Anaheim's seven games to that point. It wasn't really because of injury, though Carlsson hurt his leg in a practice drill before the season started, which caused his NHL debut to be delayed until Oct. 19, the Ducks' third game of the season.

Instead, it was because of a strength and development program devised by general manager Pat Verbeek, a way to keep Carlsson strong and healthy as he heads into a career that the Ducks hope and believe will be long and productive.

For now, Carlsson, who was selected with the No. 2 pick in the 2023 NHL Draft, will play in about two games per week and will not play in games on consecutive nights, at least for the first few months of the season. He was a healthy scratch in the Ducks' previous two games -- at home against Boston on Sunday and the Columbus Blue Jackets on Tuesday-- before slotting back in Thursday, when he had a goal and an assist in 22:37 of ice time in a 4-3 overtime win.

Carlsson had two shots on goal and played 17:09 in the Ducks' 7-4 win at the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday. They next play at the Pittsburgh Penguins on Monday before returning home to face the Arizona Coyotes on Wednesday.

"It's an organizational decision," coach Greg Cronin said. "I'm looking through a different lens as a coach than what management's looking at. He's a young kid. He's got a real bright future. I think that the plan is to try and strengthen him and build some power and some speed into his game. I think there's some data that Pat and our strength and conditioning staff believe in that's going to help reinforce that."

Carlsson's agent Matt Keator said he was happy with the communication from Verbeek and with the plan itself, a program that he said has been the subject of a lot of discussion since the draft. The two spoke about it when the Massachusetts-based Keator was in California about a month ago.

"It's a great plan," Keator said. "Because he's not going to wear down. He's going to have more energy and he's going to have more strength. I don't think the Ducks are planning on winning the Cup this year -- though you never know -- and I just think for him it's almost similar to what he would be doing if he was in Europe, but he's doing it here.

"And for him as an 18-year-old who's probably physically still growing -- he's going to be 19 soon (Dec. 26) -- it just makes the most sense. I love how progressive they're thinking on this and the way they're using sports science, just creating a great plan for the kid."

Carlsson scored in his debut Oct. 19, playing 19 minutes. He was scoreless against the Coyotes on Saturday but played 21:33.

"It feels good," Carlsson said. "Of course, after the Arizona game, I wanted to keep playing games because it felt so good, but I believe in the plan, too, getting bigger and strong and stuff like that."

Carlsson said the off-ice training isn't anything unusual, what he called "hard summer training." He doesn't know all the ins and outs of when he will play and when he won't, so he's focused solely on being prepared when his name is called.

"It's pretty easy, I think, because if you miss a game, you have so much energy for the next game and are just so excited for the next game," Carlsson said.

Part of why the program makes so much sense to Carlsson is the amount of hockey he's played of late, with 85 games last season between the regular season and playoffs with Orebro HK of the Swedish Hockey League and international competition.

But though everyone has agreed on the program, that doesn't mean it isn't difficult at times.

"I know he's on this development program and it's frustrating for me sometimes because I love playing with him," said forward Troy Terry, who has played on a line with Trevor Zegras and Carlsson in Carlsson's three games. "But how, I think, dominating he can be already, if you can get him even stronger, I think it's scary.

"So it makes sense. When I look at him, he's big. I didn't realize how good of a skater he is. He's an unbelievable skater. He's already strong on the puck, so the stronger he gets with his shot and his creativity, I don't really see a ceiling for him."

Cronin said, at this point, he's not worrying about Carlsson's availability. He will play him when he is able and will not think twice about it when he's not.

But, from what he's seen in his small sample, he's thrilled with the player he gets to put on the ice, a 6-foot-3, 194-pound center with a tremendous amount of promise. Carlsson has three points (two goals, one assist) and is averaging 20:05 of ice time in four games.

"I need to say it carefully, because there's not enough body of work there to actually feel confident saying that he's going to be a franchise player, but what I've seen so far, he's going to be an elite player in this League," Cronin said. "He's got a unique blend of length and he's deceivingly fast. His IQ on the ice, for an 18-year-old kid, is incredible.

"He played in a men's league last year in Sweden, so he's not unfamiliar with the maturity level of the opposition -- but he's really smart with and without and puck and he's very calm and he's very poised. He doesn't lack confidence."

Asked if the program could spread to other players and other teams, Keator said, "I hope so, because it makes the most sense. … You're still growing, you're still developing. You don't have the man muscles. Leo still has a little-boy body in some ways, in terms of strength.

"And what's the rush? There's no rush."

The Ducks are not expected to be significant contenders this season. They are 4-4-0 in eight games after finishing last in the Pacific Division last season at 23-47-12. They had the fewest points in the NHL with 58, one behind the Columbus Blue Jackets.

They, like Carlsson, are preparing for the future.

"It is what it is," Cronin said. "It's an organizational plan and we're on the same team. I have faith that it's going to be a win-win situation."